Harvey Weinstein is trying to get his alleged sex trafficking charges dismissed from a lawsuit filed by an actress who claims he raped her in 2015.
Harvey Weinstein
Wedil David filed her lawsuit against the disgraced movie mogul in 2017, when she alleged he raped her four years ago after promising her a role in television series 'Marco Polo' and luring her back to his hotel room.
In her filing, David claimed she met Weinstein in 2011, and he offered to help her acting career, including inviting her to awards show parties for several years.
David accused Weinstein of sex trafficking over the alleged incident, and Weinstein's lawyers are now looking to have those charges thrown from court, arguing David is trying take advantage of the legal success of other women.
According to Page Six, lawyers for the former Weinstein Company boss have claimed the sex trafficking claims don't apply, because the crime was established to criminalise slavery, involuntary servitude and human trafficking for commercial gain.
They wrote in a new filing: "Attempting to apply the [law] to this case is an utter perversion of the legislative intent behind the statute. There are no allegations of slavery, involuntary servitude, or human trafficking in the instant case."
Weinstein has been accused of sexual harassment, abuse, and rape by more than 50 people, but he has denied all allegations of non-consensual sex, whilst his production company has also been accused of failing to protect their employees.
Of those who have accused him of misconduct, victims have filed more than 15 lawsuits, which are accusing Weinstein or his production company of misconduct, whilst Weinstein himself faces criminal charges including rape and performing a forcible sex act.
Earlier this year, Weinstein reached a "tentative" deal with his sexual abuse accusers to pay $44 million in compensation.
Lawyer Adam Harris, who is acting for The Weinstein Company co-founder Bob Weinstein, told a bankruptcy court judge: "We now have an economic agreement in principal that is supported by the plaintiffs, the [New York attorney general's] office, the defendants and all of the insurers that, if approved, would provide significant compensation to victims, creditors and the estate and allow the parties to avoid years of costly, time consuming and uncertain litigation on all sides. There is [still] a lot of work here to do. But I personally am very optimistic."
It is understood that Wedil David has opted out of the settlement deal.
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